by plwk » Mon Feb 07, 2011 4:08 pm
In simple English...hope these are of any help...
The Buddha's Teaching is above time, culture, country, language, creed, people, politics, social class, economic status and yet it can adapt to all of these conditions as a bridge for all. Why? Because...
it is not a speculative philosophy, but is the Universal Law found through enlightenment and is well taught,
it is testable by practice and known by direct experience,
it is timeless and immediate results here and now, no need to wait until the future or next existence,
it welcomes all to test and to experience for themselves,
it is capable of being entered upon and worthy to be followed as a part of one's life,
it may be perfectly realized by the wise for themselves
Right track?
On one level...confirmation within oneself
1. Practicable in one's life...covering Body, Speech and Mind
This is stress...origin of stress...end of stress...path leading to the ending of stress:
Right View, Intention, Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Mindfulness & Concentration
2. In one's life, anyone can observe, "All conditioned things are impermanent", "All conditioned things are unsatisfactory", "All things are not-self"
when one sees these with wisdom, one turns away from suffering. This is the path to purification.
3. Again, observable in life: When one knows for oneself that, the qualities adopted and acted out are: skillful; blameless; praised by the wise; it leads to welfare & happiness" — then one should enter & remain in them.
Next level...confirmation within a Community
1. One hears/learns from one Elder or a small/big group of Elders who are learned, practiced and maintained the Teaching well; that the Teaching, Discipline of the Buddha are such and such
2. Do not be quick to agree or disagree with the claims
3. Analyze those claims word by word, compare with the Teaching and Discipline
4. If okay and confirmed with both Teaching and Discipline, then one can be assured that is the Buddha's, understood and taught properly by the those Elder(s), then one can accept it based on all of the above investigations. If not, then one can reject based on all of the above investigations.
Another variant of the above is:
1. Rely on the message of the teacher, not on his personality;
2. Rely on the meaning, not just on the words;
3. Rely on the true meaning, not on the provisional one;
4. Rely on one's wisdom mind, not on one's ordinary, judgmental mind.